"The right decision" - Pundit issues verdict on Helder Costa's Leeds United future

Leeds United winger Helder Costa looks likely to leave the club before the closure of the transfer window.

HIGHLIGHTS

Pundit Carlton Palmer believes it’s the right decision for Leeds United to let Helder Costa leave the club this summer as he’s fallen out of favor and doesn’t figure in Farke’s plans.
Despite Costa’s past successes and undoubted talent, his departure from Elland Road would benefit all parties involved, especially considering Leeds’ limited attacking options after Harrison’s exit.
With Costa expressing his desire to leave and Farke needing fully committed players for a Premier League return, the manager should stick to his decision on the winger regardless of what happens with Gnonto and Sinisterra.

Pundit Carlton Palmer believes it is the right decision for Leeds United to allow winger Helder Costa to leave the club this summer.

Costa initially joined the Whites on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 2019 before making the move permanent the following summer for a fee of £16 million.

The winger played a key role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2019-20 campaign, scoring five goals and providing eight assists in 46 appearances in all competitions and he remained a regular in their first season back in the top flight, but he has fallen out of favour at Elland Road in recent years.

Costa spent the 2021-22 season on loan with Valencia before joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad on a temporary basis last summer and Leeds manager Daniel Farke says that the 29-year-old wants to leave the club and is not part of his plans.

“Helder, it’s clear,” Farke told the Yorkshire Post. “So we were quite open. He was quite open, at any point, he wants to leave the club and there will be a decision.

“So, more or less, from the beginning of pre-season he was not in our plans and we were not in his plan so it’s fair to think there will be a solution.”

What did Carlton Palmer say?

Costa is currently training away from the rest of the Leeds squad, along with Wilfred Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra as speculation increases over their futures, while Jack Harrison has completed a loan move to Everton.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said that despite the likely exits of Gnonto and Sinisterra, it is still the correct decision to allow Costa to depart.

“Irrespective of the uncertainty surrounding Gnonto and Sinisterra, Leeds United are set to let Helder Costa leave the club before the summer transfer window closes,” Palmer said.

“It is the right decision, he clearly does not figure in Farke’s plans and has not been involved thus far this season.

“The manager himself has said he expects him to leave before the transfer window shuts.”

Should Leeds United allow Helder Costa to depart this summer?

It is difficult to disagree with Palmer on this one.

Costa has won two promotions from the Championship with Wolves and Leeds and he is undoubtedly a player with huge talent, but it has not worked out for him at Elland Road and his departure would be the right decision for all parties.

The Whites are light in the attacking areas after Harrison’s exit and with Costa, Gnonto and Sinisterra not currently involved with the squad, but Farke may still be hoping to keep hold of the latter duo.

It seems unlikely that Gnonto will remain in West Yorkshire, particularly after he refused to play in the club’s previous two games, while Sinisterra appears to have taken a similar stance.

Costa is clearly keen to leave the club and Farke needs players who are fully committed as he looks to mount a challenge for an instant Premier League return, so he should not reconsider his position on the winger, regardless of what happens with Gnonto and Sinisterra.